


Not a Vengeful Man

by untropicalisland



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Canon-typical references to abuse, Gen, spoilers through episode 110
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:41:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26591599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/untropicalisland/pseuds/untropicalisland
Summary: After turning down the Mighty Nein's invitation to get a drink, Astrid and Eodwulf get their own
Relationships: Astrid & Eodwulf (Critical Role)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 68





	Not a Vengeful Man

They do get a drink afterwards, once their former classmate and his friends leave. Eodwulf knows a place not far from the temple to the Raven Queen, one well outside the Shimmer Ward and accessible via some shortcuts only a long-time denizen of the city could follow, and when they have parted ways he messages her the name and location. When he arrives, she has already seated herself at the table furthest in the back, facing the entrance. When he brings over his drink and slides in across from her she extinguishes the candle at the table.

They’ve begun doing this, as of late - not the getting drinks, which as longstanding friends they have done for years, but getting drinks after taking separate routes, somewhere they think they won’t be found.

“Not your usual type,” is the first thing Astrid says, in Zemnian, the ghost of a smirk on her face as she takes her first sip.

“It’s rather hard to meet people in our line of work, and when I do they’re rarely taller than me, and usually they’re intimidated. It’s refreshing.” Unlike his recently returned friend, Eodwulf is slow to blush and good at controlling it.  
“That’s not what this is about though,” he says.

“No,” agrees Astrid. She takes a longer drink and rests her chin in her hands. “Shattengrad then? Or the north, do you think?”

“I know this look, Astrid. You know the answer and want to see if I figured it out. I have not.”

“The north. I had students spend the day in a few parts of the city. They’re all buying cold weather gear. Very elaborate, in some cases. Driving the tailors mad.” Her eyes keep darting towards the entrance despite the lightness in her tone.

“Did he seem different than when you last saw him? I only spoke briefly, and others were there,” says Eodwulf. He is glad that it’s impossible for anyone but Astrid to see the faint twitch in his eyebrow at the word “others”.

She picks it up as he knew she would. “Of course. I told you. He wanted to know what had happened...you know. He was quiet. He seemed more sad than anything else. But for me, as much as himself.”

It had been disconcerting to say the least, for both of them, and had been the initial motivation for these recent meetings. Things had been quiet, though, since their friend had left the capital after his dramatic return. Master Ikithon had said little more other than carefully absent musings about the peace talks until the abrupt dinner invitation. At least, he'd said little to them.

“So, not what you’d expected from tonight?” Eodwulf says.

Both his and Astrid’s hands are steady as they lift their drinks. It’s amazing what one can train one’s self to do.

She smiles tightly in response. Eodwulf decides to get to the point.

“Do you think that was true? About freeing him on purpose?”

“You’re the one who does more work at the asylum,” she says. She sets down her drink and clasps her hands around the back of her neck, and for a moment looks as small and young as when they had first arrived in Rexxentrum. “I don’t know what from that time we can be sure of.” 

“And I didn’t work there until after.” Bren's escape had been a time of terror for him and Astrid, and they’d in fact briefly avoided each other in the aftermath, in the hopes of lessening suspicion. But neither had been anywhere near the sanatorium for several weeks, and the questioning had ultimately been brief and far less painful than others they’d endured by then. Of course, they were never permitted much information about the escape, and were not the ones tasked with recovery, had that task even been truly set.

They'd wondered, of course. It was not unheard of for tasks to specifically be set to those closest to the target, as a test of loyalty, and once they'd felt safe meeting again he and Astrid had spent hours wondering if they were seen as too likely to fail or betray the empire, or if they were seen as already proven, the test given to someone whose allegiances were more in doubt. And at times they'd even suspected each other.

That was the problem with working for the propaganda division, thought Eodwulf bitterly. Nothing could be trusted.

“It was six years ago. Do you know if the woman is still there?” asks Astrid, interrupting his thoughts.

“What woman? I was at the other end of the table, nearly.”

“Bren-Caleb-when he came to see me, said that when he was there, a woman healed him. That it was she who brought him back. I can’t remember his exact words. The master showed a sign of the Archeart, which seemed to mean something to...Caleb.”

“They don’t usually put outlaw priests in with the...other subjects,” says Eodwulf slowly, “and I tend to keep an eye on other acolytes among the students.”

Astrid snorts. “Not that I don’t believe you about the acolytes, but I’d need at least both hands to count not-so-secret devotees of Corellon Larethian in the academy, though I'd be shocked if most get anything more out of it than a thrill. We are all on the verge of worshiping the arcane, after all.” Eodwulf catches a whiff of her drink as she raises it again to her lips, and realizes it’s something far stronger than her usual beer.

“That does not guarantee power, but fair. So there's no way to know," he says. He didn't think there would be.

“Not unless you can find her. Perhaps Caleb will provide a description if we ask.”

It’s Eodwulf’s turn to laugh humorlessly at that.

“She won’t be there. If it was the truth she’s probably been put to some other use since then, and if it was a lie I doubt she survived long after they figured out who’d done it. We will get one answer, and it could mean either thing.” He realizes how tired and angry he sounds halfway through and is glad he's still managed to keep his voice down.

Astrid doesn’t answer, just nods in agreement, staring into her drink for a moment.

“So,” says Eodwulf. “A race to the top, you said to him?”

“He’s picked some astute companions,” says Astrid, not answering directly and still not looking up. “Your pink friend, and that tiefling woman is certainly more complicated than she seems. The Cobalt Soul’s reputation is of course not unearned, either.”

“The half-orc seemed to have you dead to rights,” says Eodwulf, realizing his unkindness as he says it. Astrid’s expression still doesn’t change.

“Bren already did at dinner and I don’t think it was even on purpose,” she says.

“Welcome to life with the rest of us spectators,” says Eodwulf, and raises his tankard. She gives the same faint attempt at a smirk and a chuckle as she had when he first sat down, and clinks her glass with his before downing nearly half of it.

“It was foolish of me to tell him when he visited. As I said, he seemed sad that night. He saved the eloquence for the end. I may have underestimated him.” She takes in a long breath and exhales and drops her voice to the lowest whisper she can while still being heard.  
"That line could be to your address too. Fate and destiny. Why does only the one who went mad walk free? Why has he risen so high from ash? Was it always his path? Is this ours? Was it always your fate not to be the favorite, even when the favorite was gone?” Her voice is not unkind, but it is hard.

“I deserve that,” admits Eodwulf, brushing his fingers against his pendant.

“So,” says Astrid. “What do we do?” As always she is only half-asking for his advice, half thinking aloud.

“I think the invitation they extended was real. And not just for drinks.” Eodwulf has been turning it over in his mind since they left the tower. “Fate does bring us together for reasons.”

“It may, but I somehow do not think we will be granted the same generous leave. Nor do I think an invitation means we are fully welcome. His companions did not flinch at dinner, so they are aware of some of it, but we’ve done much more since then,” says Astrid. She finishes her drink, though Eodwulf can see the first half has clearly begun to affect her.

“Patience, then,” says Eodwulf.

“I think our friend is about to lose his. I don't think he or those with him would travel with Lady deRogna for coin and history alone. We will not have long - probably not much longer than the length of their expedition. And when he returns? Well, we will have to take a side.” Astrid stands as if to leave and blinks. "Oh, I will not be walking home tonight.”

Eodwulf presses on. “But if our friend walks away from the assembly? What then?”

Astrid puts her hands flat on the table, for emphasis or for support, Eodwulf cannot tell.

“You're right. I am not really in this race. I think…I may still one day hold that seat, but so long as he or his friends live I do not think I will hold it long if I stray from the plans Caleb Widogast has for the Assembly.  
We know vengeful men. He is not one. It would be easier if he was.”

In one quick motion she pulls out both a gold piece and a scrap of fabric, and then vanishes, leaving only the coin on the table.

Eodwulf finishes his beer alone.

**Author's Note:**

> Potentially redeemable if the Nein are very careful is the most interesting kind of redeemable.  
> I do regret that we likely won't get to see scenes between Astrid and Eodwulf without Caleb there unless someone scries on them - their relationship, as the survivors, and especially as the survivors who just got thrown under the bus at dinner, is fascinating.  
> A note: I think Ikithon's use of the names Caleb and Bren is obviously intended to be hurtful, manipulative, and invalidating. Caleb also announced himself at Astrid's as Bren and so I suspect Astrid and Eodwulf will likely feel strange referring to him by multiple names and will slip up or just use them interchangeably, but without ill-intentions either way. I think Caleb has complicated feelings about the name Bren himself, and with that said I don't think he's terribly bothered by Astrid and Eodwulf using it the way they do.


End file.
